Gu Liyue quickly said, "It's like this, ma'am. I make a living by doing embroidery. By chance, I caught the eye of the owner of the Feng Family Commercial Firm. He intends to take me to the capital to work as an embroidery maid for wealthy families. This is a rare opportunity, and I don't want to miss it. But I've also heard many bad things and am afraid that once I go, I'll fall into a quagmire... I know you are well - informed, ma'am, so I'm bold enough to ask you to help me find out if the Feng Family Commercial Firm is really doing legitimate business."
Madam Lin was silent for a while and then asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Early tomorrow morning."
Madam Lin asked again, "Where are you staying now?"
"I've made an agreement with the manager of the Feng Family firm. I'll stay in the inn next to the firm tonight."
Madam Lin nodded slowly. "I'll give you an answer today, but..."
Gu Liyue immediately knelt down and said loudly, "I'm grateful for your kindness, ma'am. I'll never forget it in this lifetime. In my next life, I'll surely repay you with all my might."
Seeing that she was sensible, Madam Lin didn't say much. She just waved her hand and let her go.
The maid helped Madam Lin into the room and whispered, "She's been bothering you again and again over such a small matter. Why does Your Highness help her?"
Madam Lin thought for a while, shook her head and said, "It's not again and again. Jin Chen also said that last time was by chance. A Jie liked that girl, so he sent her home. Moreover, the imperial son - in - law values the common people. Since I'm his wife, it's only right that I take care of things within his jurisdiction."
"But Your Highness is about to return to the capital soon, so..." The maid mumbled. She thought Miss Liyue was just an embroidery maid and not that important, so she didn't say any more.
...
Manager Feng personally took Gu Liyue and Yunniang to the inn next door to get a room. He also told them some things to pay attention to on the way.
Gu Liyue thanked him profusely, saying that she couldn't repay his kindness.
Manager Feng was an open - hearted man. While saying it didn't matter, his eyes kept staring at Cao Tiedan and asked, "This young man is..."
Gu Liyue explained, "He's the son of my former neighbor. He's seeing us off. By the way, he wants to see if there's a suitable place for him to be an apprentice."
It was very common for poor families to send their children to be apprentices. However, many craftsmen would also secretly charge some tuition fees on this pretext. It was understandable, but there was no fixed amount, and it all depended on how much the tuition was.
Cao Tiedan's family didn't have much money. He also looked down on craftsmen who only taught in exchange for money, which was why he hadn't found a suitable job for a long time.
After hearing what Gu Liyue said, Manager Feng was overjoyed. He waved and said, "You look very smart. Can you use an abacus?"
Cao Tiedan shook his head. "I've only learned how to forge iron and make tofu. For such simple jobs, they still wanted me to pay. I wasn't willing to do it."
Manager Feng laughed loudly. "You silly boy, you're so stupid."
Cao Tiedan got anxious. "Don't talk nonsense, Manager. I'm very smart. Everyone who has met me has praised me. I can learn anything quickly."
Manager Feng was even happier. "Okay, come with me to the shop. I'll teach you something. If you can learn it right away, I'll believe you."
Cao Tiedan was unconvinced and immediately followed Manager Feng.
Gu Liyue smiled helplessly. Tiedan was so single - minded. Once he made up his mind, he would go all out. Now it seemed that Manager Feng really liked him. She just hoped he would work hard.
Not long after, someone knocked on the door.
Gu Liyue opened the door and saw Lu Jinchen with a slightly frowned brow.
"Officer Lu... Officer Lu, why are you here? Please, come in."
Lu Jinchen didn't go in. Without even raising his eyes, he said coldly, "You're going to the capital?"
Gu Liyue knew it was Madam Lin who had told him. She nodded. "Yes, I've got this opportunity to work as an embroidery maid for a wealthy family in the capital. Since I'm not sure, I asked Madam Lin to find out for me."
She looked at Lu Jinchen expectantly, hoping that he would bring good news.
Lu Jinchen asked, "Are you in great need of money?"
Gu Liyue was stunned and subconsciously shook her head. "I'm not in great need of money, but I can't stay here any longer. It's good to change to a new place. Moreover, if I can earn more money, I'll be happy. In the future, whether it's for Yunniang or me, we'll have a better life."
Lu Jinchen opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just said, "Well, you're just a young girl with nothing but a little embroidery skill."
After saying that, he sat down leisurely on his own, poured a cup of tea, twirled it in his hand, but didn't drink it or say a word.
Gu Liyue was a bit dazed. This man seemed very angry. And he was a bit rude.
It was true. Officer Lu looked like a noble man, but he was arranged by Madam Lin to run errands for her. It was reasonable for him to be angry. But from what he said, it seemed that she could go to the capital with the Feng Family.
She was really happy.
She quickly said, "The tea in the inn is not very good. You'll have to make do with it. I hope Officer Lu won't mind."
Lu Jinchen was sitting while Gu Liyue was standing. From this angle, Gu Liyue could just see Lu Jinchen's long eyelashes drooping, reflected in the tea, extremely long and beautiful.
Her heart skipped a beat again. It was only April, but she felt inexplicably hot.
Lu Jinchen asked in a low voice, "What if the family in the capital doesn't want you?"
Gu Liyue smiled. "Didn't Officer Lu just say that I have some embroidery skills? I won't starve to death anyway. If the family in the capital doesn't take a fancy to me, I'll just go to another place to live. After all, it's a prosperous age now, and there should be a place for Yunniang and me."
Lu Jinchen pondered for a moment, coughed and said, "I'll leave here soon and go to... I can leave you an address. If you can't stay there, you can come to me."
Gu Liyue quickly shook her head. "Officer Lu, you've already helped me a lot. I'm very grateful. But life is something we have to live on our own. Yunniang and I can go anywhere."
Lu Jinchen didn't insist. He got up and left.
Gu Liyue felt a bit melancholy. She thought that the two of them might never meet again. She didn't think too much and just asked Yunniang to go find Cao Tiedan.
Cao Tiedan jumped up with joy and happily said to Gu Liyue, "The manager said he'll let me stay as an apprentice. He won't even charge me money and will pay me a monthly salary. It's one and a half qian a month at first, and when I do well, I can get four qian a month."
Gu Liyue was also happy for him. "Then you have to work hard. When will you go back and tell your mother?"
Cao Tiedan said, "Manager Feng told me to go back tomorrow and come back the night after. Sister Gu, in the future, I'll have two days off every month to go back and see my mother. Sister Gu, thank you."
Gu Liyue shook her head. "It's me who should thank you. You and your mother are always kind - hearted, so you've got this opportunity. Tiedan, as long as you work hard, things will get better and better in the future."
Cao Tiedan nodded vigorously. "Don't worry, sister. I will. We'll all be better."